Starting-gate.



No. 789,801. PATENTED MAYlG, 1905. J. .M. PLYNN.

STARTING GATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 18.1904.

4 SHEETS SHEET 1.

IIVVENTOR 175k JZF Z yum WITNESSES.

ATTORNEYS PATENTED MAY 16, 1905.

J. M. PLYNN.

STARTING GATE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13.1904.

INVENTOR Jfinfiflynm WITNESS/58:

ATTORNEYS" PATENTED MAY 16, 1905.

' No. v8,801.

- J. M. FLYNN.

STARTING GATE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 18,1904.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS PATENTED MAY 16, 1905.

J. M. FLYNN. STARTING GATE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 18,1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WITNESSES:

Patented May 16, 1905.

PATENT OEETCE.

JOHN M. FLYNN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STARTING-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,&O1,-dated May 16,1905.

Application filed May 18, 1904. Serial No. 208,549.

New York, have invented a new and Improved Starting-Grate. of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in gates or barriers particularlyadapted for starting running horses on a race-track, an object being toprovide a gate so constructed that before rising for the start it willhave a movement for a desirable distance lengthwise of the track,whereby the field of horses may be caused to walk to an alinement at thestarting-point, thus preventing long and tedious delays incident tostarting.

Further objects of the invention are to so arrange a mechanism thatthe'gate may be easily controlled, regulated as to speed,stopped andstarted at will, and released at any desired ti me.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the general description.

1 will describe a starting-gate embodying my invention and then pointout the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a startinggate mechanism embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, drawn on a large scaleand broken at intervals. Fig. 3 is a cross-section. Fig. 4 is a detailshowing the operating mechanism for the gate or barrier, and Fig. 5 isthe top edge of the barrier.

Referring to the drawings, 1 2 designate the usual rails at the oppositesides of the track. The frame mechanism of the startinggate consists ofposts 3 at opposite sides of the track and at the initial starting-pointfor the horses, and posts 4, arranged at the egress end of themechanism. These posts for the sake of lightness with sufficientstrength may be made of tubular iron and have rod projections 5 forentering the ground to form anchors. ires or cables 6 connect the twoposts of a side, and these cables are extended from the upper ends ofthe posts 4 to connection with the rails 1 2, as clearly indicated inFig. 1, and the whole is drawn taut by means of ropes 7 rove throughtackle-blocks 8, connected to the upper ends of the posts 3, and throughtackle-blocks 9, attached to the rails. These wires or cables 6 form theupper runways or tracks for the gate, and the lower runways consist ofwires or cables 10, attached to the posts 3 4 of each side near the siderails of, the race-track. The barrier 11 consists of a strip of suitablewebbing, and the ends thereof are connected to runners 12, mounted tomove up and down on guide-rods 13, which may consist of tubular metal,and to provide for movement of said runners with the least possiblefriction friction-rollers 14 are mounted between web portions 15 on therunners and engage against the outer sides of the rods 13.

On the upper end of each rod 13 is aframe 16, open at the bottom, and ineach frame is a grooved pulley 17 engaging with the wire or cable 6, andalso attached to horizontal plates 18 on the frame 16 are rollers 19,which engage against the outer sides of the wires or cables 6 and serveto hold said wires or cables taut when the gate moves along, as will behereinafter described.

The ends of the barrier 11 are connected di rectly to yokes 2O 21, whichare secured to the runners by crossed flexible cords 22, these cordsbeing extended through eyes 23 in the yokes and having loop ends 24engaging around pins 25, attached to inner cheek-pieces or webs 26 27,arranged at the inner sides of the runners. The yoke 21 has hookportions 28 for receiving eyes formed in the ends of cords 29, extendedfrom the adjacent end of the barrier 11. In the yoke 20 is arranged aroller 30, around which the adjacent end of the barrier is turned andfolded upon itself, as indicated at 31 in Fig. 3. A cord or elastic 32such, for instance, as a rubber tube-has eyes 33 formed at its ends forengaging removably with hooks 34 on the yoke 20. This elastic cord 32 ispassed through the outer fold of the barrier, as indicated at 3'5, andthrough the inner fold (indicated at 36) another elastic cord 37 ispassed and has its ends secured to the barrier at. the points indicatedat 38. These elastic connections will permit the barrier to be swayedconsiderably inward by pressure of a horse or horses against the same,and upon relieving it of such pressure the elastics will cause thebarrier to assume its normal position. It may be here stated, however,that these elastics are somewhat stronger than the cords 29, so thatshould breaking occur by pressure above mentioned it will be through thecords 29, and therefore the barrier may be quickly and cheaply repaired.The folding of the barrier also permits of its being lengthened orshortened to accommodate it to different Widths of track.

As clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the guide-rods for the barrierare arranged at a forward and upward angle, which is preferable to astraight upward movement, because the barrier in running up the inclinemay be more quickly gotten out of the way of the horses.

As a means for moving the barrier and the parts supporting the samelengthwise of the track or along the wires 6 and 10 I employ elasticactuating devices 39, which preferably consist of tubular rubber. Theseelastic actuating devices are secured at one end to the lower ends ofthe rods 13, then passed around pulleys 40, attached to the posts 4, andthence they pass back to the ingress end of the mechanism and connectwith anchors 41, which may be metal stakes or the like driven into theground, or these ends of said devices 39 may be otherwise secured.

The lower ends of the rods 13 carry at the outer sidehorizontally-disposed rollers 42, which engage with the outer sides ofthe wires or cables 10, and thesewires or cables 10 may be hauled tautby tackle-ropes 43, engaging around pulleys 44 on the rails of the trackand around pulleys 45, attached to said wires 10 or to parts connectedto the ends thereof.

The barrier 11 is caused to be moved upward very quickly by means ofelastics 46, which may consist of tubular rubber. These elastics haveeyes 47 at one end for engaging removably with hooks 48 on the webs 15,and at the opposite ends the elastics have eyes 49 for engaging withhooks 50, attached to rings 51, secured to the rods 13. The eyes 47 and49 preferably consist of rubber suitably secured in the ends of theelastics, and by making them removable from the hooks it is obvious thatshould the elastic break a new one may be readily put in its place. Theelastics extend over grooved pulleys 51 at the upper ends of the rods13, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4, and below these pulleys are rubberbuffers 52, against which the upper ends of the runners 12 may strikeupon reaching the top, thus reducing shock and obviating noise.

A rope 53 connects at its ends to eyes 54, carried by the rings 51 onthe rods 13, and this rope passes over grooved pulleys 55,

mounted on arms 56, extended inward from the frames 16. This rope 53 hasan elastic portion 57 at the center, and as the barrier moves alongtoward the center the elastic 57 by contracting will 'pull the rollers19 against the wires 6, thus keeping said wires practically taut. Ofcourse as the barrier reaches either end the elastic 57 will stretch andaccommodate the pulleys to the divergence of the opposite wires. Toprevent the barrier from sagging downward between its ends or at thecenter, I employ ropes 58, which are secured at their inner ends to saidbarrier and pass up and around pulleys 59, attached to the rope 53,thence around pulleys 60. supported on the upper ends of the rods 13,then around pulleys 61, supported in brackets 62 near the lower ends ofthe rods 13, and then up to connection with the webs 15. As theconnections of the ropes 58 with the webs are in line with theconnections therewith of the flexible devices for the gate, it isobvious that there will i be no binding effect of the runners onthe rods13 as the said runners move upward, and of course as the runners moveupward the ropes 58 will be drawn in such manner as will keep the centerof the barrier from sagging.

I will now describe the means for regulating the speed of the barrier asit moves lengthwise of the track, the said means also serving to returnthe barrier to its initial position.

Placed along the track at one side is the starters platform 63, andadjacent thereto is a brake-wheel 64, which may have a rubber tire orrim, and the shaft of this brake-wheel has its bearings in a frame 65,suitably anchored in the ground, and on the shaft is a sprocket-pinionfrom which a chain 66 extends to engagement with a sprocket-Wheel 67,mounted on the shaft of a drum 68, the said shaft having its bearings insaid frame 65. Supported on an arm 69, extended lengthwise of the trackfrom the frame 65, is a brake-shoe 70 for engaging with the periphery ofthe wheel 64. This brake-shoe is connected to a rod 71, which isoperated to cause more or less pressure of the shoe by means of ahandpiece 72. From the drum 68 a cord or cable 73 extends around apulley 74, attached to the post 3, and then this cord or cable extendsto a connection with the lower end of the guide-rods 13 at the side onwhich the brake-wheel is arranged. Another cord or cable, 75, extendsfrom said drum 68 around a pulley 76 at the lower portion of the post 3,on which the pulley 74 is arranged, thence over a pulley 77 at the upperend of said post, across the track over a similar pulley at the top ofthe opposite post 3, thence down around a pulley at the lower portion ofsaid opposite post, and then to a connection with the opposite guiderod13. Obviously the movement of the gate lengthwise of the track will beregulated in its speed by the degree of pressure of the brake-shoe onthe brake-wheel, and, in fact,

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the gate may be entirely stopped between its initial and linal points ifthe same should be necessary, and also by rotating the drum 68 the gatemay be returned to its initial position, where it will be held by thebrake mechanism to be subsequently released by relieving thebrake-pressure.

1 will now describe a means for holding the barrier in its loweredposition and also ameans for releasing the same, the said releasingmeans being under the control of the starter.

The holding means consists of hooks 78, mounted to swing on rings 79,attached to the rods 13 and adapted to be engaged by loops 80, attachedto the runners 12. As here shown these loops are connected directly tothe web portions. When in locked position, the downwardly extendedportions of the books 78 are engaged by latch-plates 81, carryingrollers 82, which engage directly with said downwardly-extended portionsof the hooks. These latch-plates are held. in looking position by meansof armatures 83, which are moved downward to release the latch-plates,and consequently release the loops from the hooks by means ofelectromagnets 84. From the poles of an electric battery lead-wires 8687 extend, and in one of the wires is arranged, in the startersplatform, a push-button or switch 88. From the wires 86 87connecting-wires 89 90 extend to the electromagnets 84 at one side, andfrom these wires 86 87 connections 91 92 pass to the electromagnets 8%at the opposite side, and therefore when the circuit is closed the twohooks 78 will be simultaneously released from the loops, permitting thebarrier to be moved quickly upward by the elastic connections.

Arranged on the lower portion of each guiderod 13 is an electric gong93, the electromagnets of which are connected to the circuits throughshunts 94 95, and therefore when the barrier is released the gongs willbe sounded to indicate thestart for the horses.

In the operation it is intended that the horses shall walk along thetrack until the barrier is raised, and as it is hardly possible that allof the horses can be lined up against the barrier at the start of itsforward movement the starter will by the brake mechanism cause acomparatively slow movement of the barrier lengthwise of the track untilall of the horses are lined up against the barrier. Then it may bereleased and the horses start.

Before or after the return of the gate to its initial position it may belowered and locked by attendants at opposite sides of the track, and, asbefore stated, it is held in its initial position by means of the brakemechanism under the control of the starter.

Havingthus described my invention, lclaim as new and desire to soon reby Letters Patent 1. In a starting-gate, guide-rods arranged at anupward incline, longitudinal wires along which said guide-rods aremovable, elastic devices for causing the movements of the rods alongsaid wires, a barrier movable along the rods, and means for moving thebarrier upward after its movement lengthwise of the wires.

2. Inastartinggate, guide-rods,wires along which said guide-rods aremovable, elastic devices for causing such movements along the wires,runners mounted to move on the guiderods, flexible devices for causingthe upward movements of the runners at the end of the movement of therods along the Wires, and a barrier having connection with the runners.

3. A starting gate comprising upright guide-rods, longitudinal wiresalong which the upper portions of said guide-rods are movable,longitudinal wires along which the lower portions of the rods aremovable, runners movable on the guide-rods, pulleys at the upper ends ofthe guide-rods, elastic devices having connection at one end with theguide-rods and passing over said pulleys and connecting at the oppositeend with the runners, and a barrier having connection with said runners.

4:. A starting gate comprising upright guide-rods, runners movable onsaid rods, buffers at the upper portions of the rods against which saidrunners may strike, pulleys at the upper ends of the guide-rods, elasticdevices connected at one end to the guide-rods and passing over saidpulleys and connecting at the other end with said runners, and a barriercarried by said runners, the connection between the barrier and one ofthe runners being elastic.

5. In a starting-gate, upper wires arranged along a track at oppositesides thereof, lower wires extended along the opposite sides of thetrack, guide-rods, rollers at the upper ends of said guide-rods engagingon the upper sides of the upper wires, rollers at the upper ends of theguide-rods for engaging at the outer sides of the wires, rollers at thelower ends of the guide-rods for engaging with the outer sides of thelower wires, and a barrier movable along said guide-rods.

6. A starting-gate comprising upper wires extended along a race-track atopposite sides, lower wires extended along the track at opposite sides,guide-rods, rollers on the upper ends of said rods for engaging with theupper wires, rollers at the lower portions of the rods for engaging withthe lower wires, runners movable on said rods, elastic devices formoving said runners upward, and a barrier having connection with therunners.

7. A starting-gate comprising guide-rods arranged at opposite sides of arace-track,runners movablealong said guide-rods, means for moving therunners upward on the rods, yokes attached to the runners, a rollermounted on one of the yokes, hooks on said yoke having a roller, abarrier having one end extended around said roller, an elasticconnection between said hooks and the barrier, and

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a fold in said barrier, another elastic connection engaging in saidfold, and also connecting at the ends with the barrier, and cordsconnecting the opposite end of the barrier with the opposite yoke, thesaid cords having less strength than the elastic connections.

8. A starting-gate comprising guide-rods, upper wires arranged along arace-track at opposite sides, lower wires arranged at opposite sides ofthe track, rollers carried by said guide-rods and engaging with thewires, elastic devices for moving the guide-rods lengthwise of thewires, means for regulating the speed of movement along the wires, and abarrier movable on said guide-rod.

9. A starting-gate comprising guide-rods, upper and lower wires extendedalong opposite sides of a race-track and on which said guide-rods aremovable, posts supporting the wires at the ingress end, posts supportingthe wires at the egress end, pulleys on said lastnamed posts, elastictubes having connection with said guide-rods, passing around saidpulleys and having their opposite ends anchored at the ingress end ofthe device, a barrier movable on said rods, and elastic devices forcausing the upward movements of the barrier.

10. A starting-gate comprising upper and lower wires arranged along theopposite sides of a race-track, guide-rods, pulleys at the upper ends ofsaid guide-rods engaging with the upper sides of the upper wires,pulleys at the lower ends of the rods for engaging with the lower wires,rollers at the upper ends of the rods for engaging against the outersides of the wires, rollers movable on the guiderods, pulleys at theupper ends of the guiderods, pulleys at the lower ends of the guiderods,runners on the guide-rods, a cable having connection with said runnersand passing around said upper and lower pulleys, means for moving theguide-rods lengthwise of the wires, a barrier movable with said runners,and means for causing the vertical movements of said barrier.

11. In a starting-gate,upper and lower wires extended along oppositesides of a race-track, guide-rods, pulleys at the upper ends of theguide-rods for engaging with the upper wires, A

pulleys at the lower ends of the guide-rods for engaging with the lowerends of the wires, otherpulleys adjacent to said upper pulleys, a cablehaving connection with the guide-rods and extending over said otherpulleys, the said cable having afiexible portion, pulleys on said cable,runners movable on the guiderods, cords having connection with said runners and passing over the pulleys supported by said cable, and a barrierconnected to the runners and with which said cords engage.

12. In a starting-gate,upper and lower wires extended along a race-trackand above the same at opposite sides, guide-rods movable along saidwires, means for causing said movement along the wires, runners movableon the rods, electrically-controlled locking devices for holding therunners in lowered position, elastic devices for moving the runnersupward on the rods, and a barrier carried by said runners.

l3. Inastarting-gate, guide-rods arranged at opposite sides of thetrack, runners movable on said rods, a barrier connecting with therunners, pulleys at the upper ends of the rods, tubular elastic devicesconnecting at one end with the rods passing over said pulleys andengaging at the other end with the runners, and electrically-controlledlocking devices for holding the runners in lowermost position.

14. In a startinggate, upper and lower wires arranged along a track atopposite sides, guiderods movable along said wires, elastic devices formoving said rods in one direction, a barrier carried by the rods andmovable vertically thereon, a winding-drum, and cable connectionsbetween said winding-drum and'the rods whereby the rods and barrier maybe returned to initial position.

15. In a starting-gate,upper and lower wires extended along a track atopposite sides, guide-rods movable along said wires, a barrier carriedby the rods and movable along the same, elastic devices for moving therods toward the egress end, awinding-drum, cable connections betweensaid drum and rods, a brake-wheel having driving connection with saiddrum, and abrake-shoe for engaging with said brake-wheel.

16. In a starting-gate, a frame for the gate, comprising opposite postsat the ingress end, opposite posts at the egress end, wires connectingwith the upper ends of the posts of a side, wires connecting with thelower portions of said posts, guide-rods movable along said wires,rollers on the posts at the egress end, rubber tubes passing around saidrollers and engaging at one end with the guide-rods, the other endsbeing anchored near the ingressposts, a barrier movable along theguide-rods, elastic tubes for moving the barrier upward, means formoving the guide-rods toward the ingress-posts,longitudinally-controlled locking devices for holding the barrier inlowered position, and a gong arranged in the electric circuit to besounded upon the releasing of the barrier.

17. In a starting gate, barrier-carrying guides, horizontal wires alongwhich said guides are movable, and elastic devices for moving saidguides in one direction along the wires.

18. In a starting-gate, guide-rods, horizontal wires along which saidrods are movable, elastic devices for moving the rods along the wires, abarrier movable along the rods, and means for moving the barrier upwardafter its movement along the wires.

19. In a starting-gate, opposite supports, a barrier having a told, anelastic connection between the folded portion and the barrier, andconnections between said barrier and the 5 supports.

20. In a starting-gate, opposite supports, a barrier having a told, anelastic connection between said fold and the barrier, an elasticconnection between the barrier and one of said supports, and aconnection between the IQ barrier and the other of said supports.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN M. FLYNN.

Witnesses:

PETER J. FLEMING, JOHN W. ROGERS.

